Yahya (a): Difference between revisions

==Similarity between Imam al-Husayn (a) and Yahya (a)==

It is reported that the heavens and earth wept both when Yahya (a) was killed and when [[Imam al-Husayn (a)]] was martyred. The Imam (a) would remember Yahya (a) and his murder on his way to [[Karbala]]. According to a hadith, the weeping of the heavens and earth happened only for Yahya (a) and al-Husayn (a).   

==Moral Characteristics==

Among Yahya's (a) characteristics, five are specifically mentioned: believing in Jesus (a), leadership in knowledge and practice, a righteous prophet, [[asceticism]] and nobility. About his asceticism and piety, it is mentioned that he would weep a lot in awe of God and would wear coarse clothes. In this regard, the [[Prophet (s)]] is reported to have said, "When Yahya went to [[Jerusalem]] in his childhood and saw rabbis putting on woolen shirts worshipping, he also put on coarse clothes and went to the temple to worship God."  

According to a hadith, no one should say that he is better than Yahya (a), because Yahya (a) never sinned and never paid attention to any women. However, some scholars have doubted the authenticity of this hadith as it appears to be against the Islamic teachings about the merits of marriage.  

Yahya's (a) name appears five times in four chapters of the Qur'an{{enote|Five times in the [[Qur'an 3]], [[Qur'an 6]], [[Qur'an 19]] (two times), [[Qur'an 21]]}}. The story of his birth, the fact that he was gifted "judgment"'s talent in his childhood, and some of his virtues are mentioned in the Qur'an. In [[Qur'an 19]]:15, we read, "Peace be to him, the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he is raised alive!". Referring to this verse, [[Imam al-Rida (a)]] is reported to have said that Yahya (a) will be safe and secure in three stations in which all mankind fear: birth, [[death]], and [[resurrection]].  

There are several stories about Yahya (a) (or John the Baptist) in the [[Gospels]], which have many common points with the related Qur'anic verses. The story of the glad-tidings of Yahya's (a) birth to Zechariah (a) is mentioned in Luke in details.{{enote|[Luke 1]:5-25, The infancy and childhood of Jesus; the annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist}}  

Later in his life, Yahya (a) became known as the Baptist. He would preach and many people would come from different cities to listen to his sermons.{{enote|[Matthew 3]:1-6, 1 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, 2 "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3 This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" 4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.}} He would speak against hypocrite clerics and other impious figures.{{enote|[Matthew 3]:7 But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?}} However, the most important mission of Yahya (a), as recorded in the Gospels, was affirming Jesus (a) and his mission and baptizing him.{{enote|[Matthew 3]:11-17}}

==Mandeans==

{{Main|Mandeans}}

Mandeans are Aramaic-speaking people who believe that they follow Yahya (a) and that their scripture belongs to Yahya (a). Their migration to [[Iran]] is believed to have taken place at the time of the [[Parthian]]s. Apart from the [[Jews]], they are one of the earliest non-Aryan immigrants who came to Iran from [[Palestine]]. Mandeans are [[monotheist]]s. They have their own scripture, language, and script. They are mentioned in the Qur'an in several verses.{{enote|Qur'an 2:62, Qur'an 5:69, Qur'an 22:17}}  

==Burial Place==

There is a disagreement as where Yahya (a) was buried in. The most famous place is a grave in the [[Umayyad Mosque]], which is believed to be the place where Yahya's (a) headless body was buried, and it is believed that his head was buried in a mosque located in the Zabdani neighborhood in Damascus. According to some other reports, Yahya's (a) head was buried in the grave located at Nabi Yahya mosque in the Palestinian village Sebastia. [[Christians]] also have built a church near this mosque called Church of St. John the Baptist.

==Notes==

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